Rivet-feeding mechanism



' Oct. 8, 1 929.

4 E; a. STIMPSON 1,730,750

RIVET FEEDING MECHANISM 2 Sheets-Sheet l I filed Sept. 30. 1927 MM T 7/0/47 HI IHI P Oct, 8, 1929.

E. B. STIMPSON RIVET FEEDING MECHANISM Filed se t; 30. 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 v Patented Oct. 8, 1929 UNITED; STATES PATENT OFFICE EDWIN ."B. STIMPSON, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO EDWIN IB. STIMPSOIN COMPANY, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK V RIVER-FEEDING MECHANISM Application filed September 30, 1927. Serial No. 222,983.

This invention relates to an improved rivet feeding mechanism for rivet setting machines.

An object is the provision of rivet feeding mechanism which is accurate and reliable, but which eliminates thereci rocating cut-off slide which is customarily use in mechanism of this sort to feed the rivets individually to the driving plunger. The invention is particularly adapted to rivets having hemispherical heads, although it may be applied to any fastener having similar handling properties.

By eliminating the the invention renders the rivet setting machine less complicated and more durable, since it avoids the use of the reciprocating slide as well as the operating mechanism for the slide.

The invention includes guiding means by which the rivet is directed accurately into the holding pocket below the driving plunger.

WVhile preferred embodiments of the invention have been set forth for purposes of illustration, it should be understood that various changes and modifications may be made in the structure without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as herein- 30. after set forth and claimed.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the mechanism, partly in section.

Fig. 2 is a section on line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a section on line 33 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a detailed perspective view showing the guides. I

Fig. 5 is a detailed perspective view showing the plunger.

Fig. 6, is a detail showing the plunger of Fig. 5 mounted in the inachinein a position at right angles to that of Figs. 1 to 5.

Fig. 7 is a section on line 7-7 of Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 6 showing the use of a modified form of driving plunger. 7

Fig. 9 is a section on line 9-9 of Fig. 8.

Referring to the drawings more particularly the reference numeral 10 is used to indicate the nose piece of a rivet setting machine.

moving cut-off slide,

The lower face of the nose piece is curved and carries spaced rails 11 and 12 upon which are secured the plates 13 and 14, these parts cooperating to form a T-shaped guide slot. The rivets are fed down the guide slot with their heads between the rails 11 and 12 and their shanks projecting through the opening between the plates 13 and 14:, as will be clear from Figs. 1 and 2.

From the guide slot the rivets are fed into the movable holding pocket 15 supported from the reciprocating shaft 16 mounted in a guide-way attached to the nosepiece 10. Flat, spring arms 17 are adjustably mounted on two opposite sides of the shaft 16, the lower end of each arm 17 carrying a semicircular member 18, the two members 18 cooperating to form the holding pocket. Theinner edges of the semi-circularmembers are beveled inwardly as at 19 in Figs. 1 and 3 andtogether form a circular opening slightly smaller than the head of the rivet. A spring 19 normally urges'theshaft 16 upwardly to theposition illustrated, in which the upper surfaces of the members 18 form practically a continuation of the supporting surface of the guide slot, as will be clear from Fig.1. The rivets, which are illustrated as having hemispherical heads, are fedinto theguide slot by suitable mechanism not shown, and slide under the force ofgravity into the pocket 15. In passingfr om the guide'slot to the pocket the rivets are diiected' by the guides 20, shown'in detail in- One of these guides is attached by screws 21 to each side of the lower end of the race,- way in which the guide slot is formed. Each guide hasa. nose projecting inwardly over the pocket 15, the lower surface of the nose beingcurved as at 22 to'fit over one side of the-head of the rivet. The guides are formed so that there is sufficient space between their upper surfaces to permitentry of the, driving plunger23. i

The lower part of plunger 23 is of rectangular cross-section, as will be clear from Fig. 5, and its bottom surface is dished to conform to the top of the rivet head. i The upper end of the plunger issecured to a rod 24, which 100 is reciprocated by any suitable known mechanism. The parts are so arranged that the widest aXis of the plunger 23 is in alinement with the axis of the guide slot. An anvil 25 is located below the plunger 23 and acts to support the article 26 into which the rivets are being set, as well as to spread the rivet.

The mechanism operates in the following manner: The weight of the column of rivets in the guide slot pushes the lowermost rivet into the pocket, the rivets assuming the position shown in Fig. 1. The guides 20 insure proper centering of the rivet in the pocket, and hold it in centered position until it is engaged by the plunger 23. As the plunger descends it engages the head of the rivet, forcing the rivet downwardly, carrying the pocket 15 along with it during the first part of the stroke. But during the latter part of the stroke the downward movement of the pocket is arrested, and the plunger pushes the rivet through the opening in the pocket, the springs 17 permitting the members 18 to spread, and presses it against the anvil 25 after forcing it through the article 26.

It will be evident that when the feed hopper (not shown) becomes empty, there will be no column of rivets left to press the last rivet into the pocket, and hence this rivet might not under its own weight move to a properly centered position in the pocket 15. But in the arrangement shown in Fig. 1 the arched end of the plunger will engage the curved head of the rivet and center the rivet in the pocket.

The plunger 23 may be disposed with its widest axis at right angles to the axis of the feed slot, as shown in Figs. 6 and 7. In this case the guides 20 are formed with appropriately shaped cut-outs to fit about the plunger. In this modification the plunger need not be raised so high on its stroke, as the rivet passes under the broadly arched side of the plunger. But on the other hand, the plunger cannot have as effective a centering action on the last rivet from the hopper as does the species of Fig. 1.

. Figs. 8 and 9 show how the lower end of the plunger may be of cylindrical shape if desired.

In the machine disclosed above, it will be appreciated that the rivets are fed. directly into the holding pocket without the use of any cut-off slide. The machine illustrated is adapted to handle rivets having hemispherical heads, although it will be understood that the parts can be suitably shaped to handle any type of rivet having a head so shaped that it will not overlap the heads of the ad- 'jacent rivets in passing down the guideway and into the pocket 15.

I claim:

1. In combination, a movable holding pocket, an inclined guideway adapted to feed rivets under force of gravity into the pocket,

plunger adapted to engage the head of the rivet.

2. In combination, a movable holding pocket, an inclined guideway adapted to feed rivets under force of'gravity into the pocket, the guideway being adapted to aline with the pocket in one position of the parts, guiding means attached to the guideway and extending over the pocket, lateral extensions on said guiding means shaped to accurately guide the head of the rivet from the guideway to the pocket and to engage opposite side portions of the head and retain the latter accurately in the pocket, and a driving plunger adapted to engage the head of the rivet, the lower surface of the driving plunger being shaped to conform to the head of the rivet.

In testimony whereof I afliX my signature.

EDWIN B. srnursou. 

